Day of the Dead ofrendas honor earthquake victims, murdered women in Pilsen museum exhibit

Alejandro García Nelo stands beside his ofrenda, or offering, entitled “54, 950 heartbeats” at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen. (Pat Nabong/Sun-Times)

Each year in Chicago, Mexican-American families set up altars filled with flowers, food and drinks in memory of friends and family who have passed away.

So when the National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen opened its doors in 1987, curators decided to honor the Mexican tradition of Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) with an annual exhibit in the main gallery.